Oxford look for three in a row
December 3, 2001

Oxford University will bid for a hat-trick of victories over Cambridge at Twickenham on December 11.

The Dark Blues have named Luke Sheriff, who has played the last two Varsity matches as a flanker, in the centre as they

Sheriff, scorer of the winning try two years ago, has played only a handful of matches in the centre, but Oxford coach Steve Hill denied he was taking a gamble.

"You don't take risks in a Varsity match," he said. "We have more experience in the forwards than the backs."

Oxford have not won three in a row for more than 30 years, and Hill warned: "The last two years have been very close. Cambridge have a lot of good players and it will be a very tough match.

"Our approach is that it's about one year at a time, but it would be nice to get three victories in a row."

Hill confirmed that full-back Nick Marsh, who has been suffering from a recurring bruised shoulder, will be fit to play. "We'll be wrapping them in cotton wool until the 11th," added Hill.

US Eagles international prop Ray Lehner has been out for most of the season with a knee injury, but has recovered in time to win his fourth Blue.

Cambridge have left out four of the team beaten last year - prop James Meredith, hooker Chris Derkson, England under-21 lock Martin Purdy and fly-half Simon Amor.

Amor's trip to Durban in South Africa with the England Sevens squad probably cost him the chance to compete for his place against Sam Howard, whose top-class club rugby experience with Exeter and Bedford when they were in the Zurich Premiership stood him in good stead.

Cambridge have brought in Des Brett, a 18st 7lb prop from Ipswich, England Students' hooker Chris Collins and have also moved Angus Innes back from flanker to the second-row for his fourth Varsity match appearance.

Innes was switched to the back-row last year after playing lock in his first two Varsity matches.

Duncan Blaikie, the New Zealander who has only just resumed training after missing most of the season with a broken bone in his hand, will wear the number seven shirt for Cambridge.

Their coach, Tony Rodgers - who was a member of the Cambridge side in two of the three years when Oxford last achieved a hat-trick of victories between 1969-71 - admits that the Dark Blues will start as "marginal favourites".

His preparations have been interrupted by injuries and the starting XV will be appearing together for the first time.

"It isn't ideal, but you go with the selection," said Rodgers. "We think this is the best possible side to do us justice on the day."

Rodgers - who will be coaching Cambridge for the 22nd time - has twice steered them to five wins in a row, from 1980-84 and again from 94-98.

"We have a more competitive squad this year," he said. "We've left out four Blues - experience counts, but it's been very difficult. It's a reflection of this year's strength."

Rodgers added: "The last two years we have lost because we were under pressure in the forwards in the final 20 minutes.

"The key area is the front five. It's the front five where games are won and lost, but I think we have more strength there this year."

Teams:

Cambridge: Ali Newmarch; Stuart Moffat, Scott Adams, Marco Rivaro, James Baker; Sam Howard, Mark Chapman-Smith; Andy O'Brien, Chris Collins, Des Brett, Angus Innes, Ed Mallett, Max Graham, Duncan Blaikie, Mike Count (capt)

Oxford: Nick Marsh; Will Rubie, Luke Sheriff, Sam Adlen, Will Ellerby; Seb Fitzgerald, Dan Taberner; Kevin Tkachuk, Peter Nicholas, Ray Lehner, Adam Russell, Charles Edwards, Simon Miall, Jason Bolger, Brett Robinson (capt)

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